§ Mr. BurdenTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the impact of his Department's area of responsibility of European Commission directives on nitrates in water supplies. [25031]
§ Mr. BoswellThe standard for nitrate in water supplies is laid down in the EC drinking water directive (80/778). The EC nitrate directive (91/676) provides for waters to be identified as "polluted waters" in various circumstances, including when nitrate from agriculture has impaired their suitability for use in water supplies. Under the nitrate directive, farmers within designated nitrate vulnerable zones will be subject to restrictions drawn up in order to minimise the leaching of nitrate from agriculture into water sources.